King Abdulaziz International Airport Research Articles

Prevalence of emergency cases among pilgrims presenting at King Abdulaziz International Airport Health Care Center at Hajj Terminal, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during Hajj Season, 1440 H - 2019.

About 2-3 million pilgrims come to Makkah, Saudi Arabia from all countries to perform Hajj. During the Hajj season of 2019 (1440 H), the total number of pilgrims was 2,489,406, of whom 1,855,027 came from foreign countries. This study aims to investigate the prevalence, pattern, and findings of emergency health problems among pilgrims travelling through King Abdul Aziz International Airport Health Care Center (KAIA-HC) at Hajj Terminal in Jeddah during hajj season of 1440-H. A cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of pilgrims coming for treatment at KAIA-HC, before and after Hajj between 1 Dhul Qi'dah to 29 Dhul Hijjah 1440 AH (Corresponding to 4 July to 31 August 2019 AD). The collected data included demographics, medical history, diagnoses of the emergency health problems, infections, and their findings. Data were analyzed using Epi Info 7 and SPSS 25. About 296 (3.87%) of 7,643 pilgrims treated at KAIA-HC were emergency cases. Their average age was 43 years (Standard Deviation (SD) ±7.5); 51.3% were females; the highest (45.3%) was between 30 - 59 years age group, both males and females; the highest two nationalities were Indonesian (14.2%) and Egyptian (12.5%). Diagnoses included hypertension 59(19.9%), bronchial asthma 53 (17.9%), and 23 cases (10.5%) were suffering from hypotension. 16 (5.4%) of patients had a myocardial infarction and 10 (3.4%) had cerebrovascular accidents. In 13 cases (4.4%), a chest infection was reported. Diabetes complications (hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis) were reported in 28 (9.4%) of the cases. There were 28 (9.5%) surgical diagnoses, 13 (4.4%) were cut wounds, 11 (3.7%) were bone fracture and dislocation, and 4 (1.4%) were head trauma. With regard to the findings, 82 (27.7%) were referred to hospitals; 10 (3.3%) cases required Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, seven of whom survived. The most common referral causes were myocardial Infarction amounting 12(4.05%), followed by cerebrovascular accident 10(3.3%) and chest infection in 8 (2.7%). 13 (4.4%) of the total cases died. The most common causes of death were myocardial infarction, asthma, hypertension and hyperglycemia. Our study emphasizes that emergency cases presented at KAIA-HC were few. Cardiovascular diseases represented the main reason for emergency cases, followed by respiratory diseases. 51% of patients were discharged without the need for a higher level of medical care.

Knowledge and Attitude of Meningitis Belt Country Passengers Arriving at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia toward Ciprofloxacin as a Meningococcal Disease Prophylaxis

Abstract Meningitis belt countries of sub-Saharan Africa are highly endemic of Neisseria meningitides. Passengers traveling from meningitis belt countries and arriving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia should receive one dose of ciprofloxacin upon their arrival if they are not vaccinated with the quadrivalent (ACYW) conjugate meningococcal vaccine. This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude of those passengers regarding the preventive measures taken at the point of entry toward meningococcal disease. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 394 passengers who arrived from meningitis belt countries in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from April to June 2022. The study shows that 51% of the participants were aware of the purpose of ciprofloxacin use, 64.7% of them were vaccinated with the meningococcal vaccine. About 77.2 % of the passengers were not informed about the preventive measures regarding meningococcal disease and the obligation of receiving ciprofloxacin if they are not vaccinated with conjugate type. The study finding demonstrates that there is a lack of information among the passengers who are arriving from meningitis belt countries regarding the preventive measures for meningococcal disease and it should be conveyed to them before the issuance of the visa in their home countries. Keywords: Meningitis Belt Countries, Neisseria meningitidis, Polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine, Conjugate meningococcal vaccine, Ciprofloxacin.

A NOVEL SCHEDULING APPROACH FOR PILGRIM FLIGHTS OPTIMIZATION PROBLEM

The main goal of airport administrations around the world is to facilitate the conduct of passenger services and reduce waiting time as much as possible. This can be achieved by regulating the flow of passengers at the various stages of the airport, including arrival and departure halls, passport checkpoints, luggage handling, and customs. This study focuses on improving the flow of passengers in the Hajj terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as it is one of the most welcoming stations for travelers during the Hajj season and is the fourth largest passenger terminal in the world. Three different optimization algorithms are applied to improve the scheduling process of assigning the arrival flights to available airport gates, as well as the stages inside the various airport lounges and areas. These algorithms are genetic algorithm (GA), harmony search algorithm (HSA), and differential evolution algorithm (DEA). The results give a prior knowledge of how the whole passengers’ arrival process and show the stages that are prone to congestion and cause process delay. Experimental performance results in terms of fitness value and convergence rate show that GA outperforms HSA and DEA when the population size is equal to 5, whereas DEA provides better performance compared to other algorithms when the population size is equal to 20 and 50. Moreover, the results show that the largest waiting time for passengers was in the arrival gate lounges due to the lack of allocated spaces in the passport areas, followed by the luggage area, then the passport control and customs areas, respectively.

In This Issue

The two-part roundtable Constructing Race and Architecture 1400–1800 consists of brief “think pieces” that examine issues related to the intersection of race and architecture from around the globe during the period 1400–1800. The first part of the roundtable appeared in the September 2021 issue of JSAH, and Part 2 appears in this issue, featuring contributions by Rachel A. A. Engmann, Laura Fernández-González, Mark Hinchman, Dana E. Katz, Khaled Malas, Peter Minosh, Garth Myers, Jason Nguyen, Ikem Stanley Okoye, Senam Okudzeto, and, Ünver Rüstem.Through a reconstruction of the murky process involved in the design of the Hajj Terminal at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Matthew Allen examines how computational expertise negotiated a new role for itself within the hierarchy of late twentieth-century corporate architecture. In The Genius of Bureaucracy: SOM’s Hajj Terminal and Geiger Berger Associates’ Form-Finding Software he explores how Henry-Russell Hitchcock’s rubric of “the architecture of genius and the architecture of bureaucracy” played out in a situation where the two ideals converged. Unusual among other large corporate firms, SOM not only invested in computation early on but also leveraged computer-generated images to promote its practice. Examination of SOM’s printouts from the Hajj Terminal project reveals the pervasive presence of the lower ranks of the corporate hierarchy—particularly the engineering subconsultants Geiger Berger Associates, who developed unique software for engineering tensile structures. In this contest between decisive SOM designers such as Gordon Bunshaft and Fazlur Khan and engineering paperwork, a new understanding of “the computer” emerged that congealed around the concept of form-finding, or “smart” digital modeling.In the early 1960s, amid affluence, loneliness, and increasing longevity, a new type of community appeared in the United States: the “active-retirement complex,” with thousands of houses and/or apartments and an unprecedented range of communal facilities. Though such communities were instantly popular, skeptics likened the first examples to internment camps, and to deflect such critiques, developers like Ross Cortese began to prioritize design. In Retirement Planning: Charles Warren Callister, the Neighborhood Unit, and the Architecture of Community at Rossmoor and Heritage Village, Matthew Gordon Lasner describes how Cortese hired acclaimed San Francisco Bay Area architect Charles Warren Callister, known for his innovative private and ecclesiastical commissions, to design a new retirement community known as Rossmoor, located in the East Bay suburb of Walnut Creek. Long interested in housing reform, Callister attempted to serve the needs of seniors, especially their needs for community and activity, by employing a village plan and arranging the housing in “neighborhoods” around clustered courtyards, both at Rossmoor and at a later project, Heritage Village in Connecticut. Lasner’s study examines the experiences of residents of Callister’s complexes to determine whether this approach, which was rooted in theory rather than gerontological research, “worked” as intended.Transforming the Architecture of Food: From the Soviet to the Post-Soviet Apartment focuses on the changes to urban domestic architecture and food-related spaces—those for eating, cooking, and storage—that occurred parallel to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In this article, Kateryna Malaia traces a path from standardized Soviet apartment housing built and regulated by the state to the implementation of architectural and spatial solutions by individual apartment dwellers and designers in the post-Soviet years. From the 1980s through the early 2000s, such remodeling projects affected late- and post-Soviet architectural imagination and urban apartments en masse, coinciding with ephemeral yet important changes in domestic practices. To navigate these complex transformations, Malaia questions traditional architectural programmatic labeling—kitchen, dining room, family room, open plan—within the late- and post-Soviet context. Drawing on both archival and popular sources as well as interviews with apartment dwellers, architects, and engineers collected in the post-Soviet urban centers of Kyiv and Lviv in Ukraine, this study shows how the grassroots adaptation of standardized apartment housing at this time echoed new economic and political circumstances. Malaia’s analysis of changes in food-related spaces and practices provides a critical index of the widespread social impact of the collapse of the Soviet Union in everyday architecture and life.

The Genius of Bureaucracy: SOM’s Hajj Terminal and Geiger Berger Associates’ Form-Finding Software

Abstract Through a reconstruction of the murky process involved in the design of the Hajj Terminal at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Matthew Allen examines how computational expertise negotiated a new role for itself within the hierarchy of late twentieth-century corporate architecture. In The Genius of Bureaucracy: SOM’s Hajj Terminal and Geiger Berger Associates’ Form-Finding Software he explores how Henry-Russell Hitchcock’s rubric of “the architecture of genius and the architecture of bureaucracy” played out in a situation where the two ideals converged. Unusual among other large corporate firms, SOM not only invested in computation early on but also leveraged computer-generated images to promote its practice. Examination of SOM’s printouts from the Hajj Terminal project reveals the pervasive presence of the lower ranks of the corporate hierarchy—particularly the engineering subconsultants Geiger Berger Associates, who developed unique software for engineering tensile structures. In this contest between decisive SOM designers such as Gordon Bunshaft and Fazlur Khan and engineering paperwork, a new understanding of “the computer” emerged that congealed around the concept of form-finding, or “smart” digital modeling.

Project execution obstacles: a case of King Abdulaziz Airport in Saudi Arabia.

The purpose of this research is to examine the causes of delay in airport projects in general and the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) of Saudi Arabia in particular. The KAIA is the most strategic and busiest airport of Saudi Arabia, which transports millions of pilgrims from two hundred countries to perform Hajj and Umrah in Makkah. In general, more than 50% of construction projects fail on one more area. Our method of research is empirical based on the analysis of responses received from seventy-one respondents to our survey questions. We shall also synthesize literature that utilizes previous research and case studies on aviation and public project failures. We believe that this research will be valuable in ascertaining and mitigating direct causes for the numerous project delays in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding travel health among (King Abdulaziz) international airport travelers in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2019.

Background:Travelers to different countries have endemic/pandemic diseases can increase the risk of exposure to various infectious agents and can facilitate their spread across borders.Objectives:To determine the levels of travel health knowledge, attitudes and practices among travelers at international airports of KSA.Methods:An observational cross-sectional study was conducted starting from 30 September, 2019 at the departure halls of King Abdulaziz International airport (KAIA). Representative sample adult travelers who were waiting to board were recruited.Results and Discussion:Good level of knowledge regarding travel health was observed among 28.2%. The majority of the participants (84.7%) got information about their destination prior to the trip. The main reported source of information was family/friends (53.8%). Negative health seeking behavior was observed among 70.8% of the participants. Purpose of the trip and duration of destination were significantly associated with health seeking behavior. Knowledge, attitude towards health information seeking behavior and practice-related to travel health among international travelers at King Abdulaziz International airport are insufficient.

Study 8#x38; Analysis of The Most Influential Event and Risk in The Workplace Environment at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport

The Safe operation of an airport is an important part of aviation safety. During this study for quality services provided purpose, we will Review types of ground accidents and events that happen at the land side of King Abdul-Aziz Airport (KAIA) during work in the site. The focus of this study will be on KAIA as this airport is an integral part of the world's international airports. We will study the root cause of the ground accidents in the field which is affected by many factors such environment, human, constructions and aircraft features etc.., we will use the (Fishbone) analysis to determine the root cause effects of that incidents and the suggested safety solutions to eliminate the risks in the workplace and reducing hidden and visible costs.

Use of face masks and other personal preventive measures by Hajj pilgrims and their impact on health problems during the Hajj.

The Hajj is one of the world's largest pilgrimage and gathers millions of Muslims from different nationalities every year. Communicable diseases have been reported frequently, during and following the Hajj, and these have been linked to individual behavioural measures. This study aimed to measure the effect of personal preventive measures, such as face mask use, hand hygiene and others, adopted by pilgrims in reducing the acquisition of infectious diseases. We conducted a cross-sectional study at the Hajj terminal in King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims were approached in the airport lounges after the 2017 Hajj season and prior to the departure of their flights from Jeddah to their home countries. An electronic data collection tool ('Open Data Kit') was used to gather survey data in regards to health problems and preventive measures during the Hajj. A total of 2973 Hajj pilgrims were surveyed. In all, 38.7% reported symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and 5.4% reported symptoms of travel diarrhoea. Compliance with face mask use was 50.2%. Changing a face mask every 4 h was found to be significantly associated with lower prevalence of URTIs [adjusted odds ratio 0.56 (95% confidence interval 0.34-0.92), P = 0.02]. There was no statistical difference between overall face mask use and URTI acquisition. The main sources of food, eating raw vegetables/food, frequency of hand washing or use of hand sanitizers were not found to be significantly associated with reported travellers' diarrhoea. Unlicensed barbers were used by 12% of pilgrims and 9.2% of pilgrims reported using blades that were reused by other pilgrims. Preventive measures are the most effective way to prevent infections. Pilgrims can benefit from face masks by changing them frequently. There is still limited information on the effect of the use of face mask in decreasing the risk of URTI in mass gatherings.

The effect of work stressors on decision making: أثر ضغوط العمل على عملية اتخاذ القرار دراسة ميدانية على القيادات الإدارية مطار الملك عبد العزيز الدولي بجدة

The research aims to identify the role of work pressures on the decision-making process by applying to the administrative leaders at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. The nature of the work, the ambiguity of the job role, social pressures), and the dependent variable, which is the decision-making process. The research concluded to provide a set of recommendations that serve the study population, namely: clarifying the roles and functions required of the staff of King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah does not occur conflict between these functions, the distribution of job tasks between the employees or division of the task on the same worker at King Abdul Aziz Airport Jeddah International Airport, providing the appropriate environment of light and atmosphere suitable for workers at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah.

An empirical study for evaluating performance of King Abdulaziz International Airport with six sigma

This research is intended to evaluate the efficiency of proceures and processes used by the King AbdulazizInternational Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with the help of Six Sigma. For, we have framed differentobjectives for analyzing the effect of six sigma in decision makings and quality control of the KAIA. The aim is also tofind out the relationship of Six Sigma on an information system used by KAIA. We have used the qualitative researchmethod (semi-structured interview method) with the target population of five employees working at KAIA. Qualitativedata was collected from participants through transcribed, audio-recorded and codes. Thematic analysis was carriedout in order to obtain the study result. Our study finds that there is a significant effect of Six Sigma in streamlining ofall the processes of KAIA, which contributed towards the improvement of the quality and providing better control. Wefound that the KAIA applies KPIs to measure the decision makin, empowering the decision makers or managers. Wehave also reflected on the role of Six Sigma towards the effective performance of individuals in finance, customersupport, and internal business process and team development.

An empirical study for evaluating performance of King Abdulaziz International Airport with Six Sigma

This research is intended to evaluate the efficiency of proceures and processes used by the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with the help of Six Sigma. For, we have framed different objectives for analyzing the effect of six sigma in decision makings and quality control of the KAIA. The aim is also to find out the relationship of Six Sigma on an information system used by KAIA. We have used the qualitative research method (semi-structured interview method) with the target population of five employees working at KAIA. Qualitative data was collected from participants through transcribed, audio-recorded and codes. Thematic analysis was carried out in order to obtain the study result. Our study finds that there is a significant effect of Six Sigma in streamlining of all the processes of KAIA, which contributed towards the improvement of the quality and providing better control. We found that the KAIA applies KPIs to measure the decision makin, empowering the decision makers or managers. We have also reflected on the role of Six Sigma towards the effective performance of individuals in finance, customer support, and internal business process and team development.

Environmental sampling for respiratory pathogens in Jeddah airport during the 2013 Hajj season

BackgroundRespiratory tract infections (RTIs) are common during the Hajj season and are caused by a variety of organisms, which can be transmitted via the air or contaminated surfaces. We conducted a study aimed at sampling the environment in the King Abdul Aziz International (KAAI) Airport, Pilgrims City, Jeddah, during Hajj season to detect respiratory pathogens.MethodsActive air sampling was conducted using air biosamplers, and swabs were used to sample frequently touched surfaces. A respiratory multiplex array was used to detect bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens.ResultsOf the 58 environmental samples, 8 were positive for at least 1 pathogen. One air sample (1 of 18 samples, 5.5%) tested positive for influenza B virus. Of the 40 surface samples, 7 (17.5%) were positive for pathogens. These were human adenovirus (3 out of 7, 42.8%), human coronavirus OC43/HKU1 (3 out of 7, 42.8%), Haemophilus influenzae (1 out of 7, 14.2%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (1 out of 7, 14.2%). Chair handles were the most commonly contaminated surfaces. The handles of 1 chair were cocontaminated with coronavirus OC43/HKU1 and H influenzae.ConclusionRespiratory pathogens were detected in the air and on surfaces in the KAAI Airport in Pilgrims City. Larger-scale studies based on our study are warranted to determine the role of the environment in transmission of respiratory pathogens during mass gathering events (eg, Hajj) such that public health preventative measures might be better targeted.

Detection of Respiratory Viruses Among Pilgrims in Saudi Arabia During the Time of a Declared Influenza A(H1N1) Pandemic

BackgroundThe objectives of this study were to determine whether pilgrim attendance at the Hajj was associated with an increased risk of acquiring influenza, and other respiratory viruses, and to evaluate the compliance of pilgrims with influenza vaccination and other recommended preventive measures.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey was conducted among pilgrims as they arrived at the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah for the 2009 Hajj and as they departed from the same airport during the week after the Hajj. Nasopharyngeal and throat swabs were tested for 18 respiratory virus types and subtypes using the xTAG Respiratory Viral Panel FAST assay.ResultsA total of 519 arriving pilgrims and 2,699 departing pilgrims were examined. Their mean age was 49 years and 58% were male. In all, 30% of pilgrims stated that they had received pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccine before leaving for the Hajj and 35% of arriving pilgrims reported wearing a face mask. Only 50% of arriving pilgrims were aware of preventive measures such as hand hygiene and wearing a mask. The prevalence of any respiratory‐virus infection was 14.5% (12.5% among arriving pilgrims and 14.8% among departing pilgrims). The main viruses detected (both groups combined) were rhinovirus‐enterovirus (N = 414, 12.9%), coronaviruses (N = 27, 0.8%), respiratory syncytial virus (N = 8, 0.2%), and influenza A virus (N = 8, 0.2%) including pandemic influenza A(H1N1) (N = 3, 0.1%). The prevalence of pandemic influenza A(H1N1) was 0.2% (N = 1) among arriving pilgrims and 0.1% (N = 2) among departing pilgrims. The prevalence of any respiratory virus infection was lower among those who said they received H1N1 vaccine compared to those who said they did not receive it (11.8% vs 15.6%, respectively, p = 0.009).ConclusionWe found very low pandemic influenza A(H1N1) prevalence among arriving pilgrims and no evidence that amplification of transmission had occurred among departing pilgrims.

Study of summer heat exposure at the ground services operations of a main international airport in Saudi Arabia

Summer heat in coastal subtropical Jeddah, augmented by heat from operating ground servicing equipment in King Abdul-Aziz International Airport (KAAIA), presents a major occupational problem to ground service operators, particularly the air traffic control coordinator (ATCC), that hinders their work efficiency and induces health disorders to them. The present study was conducted to assess the magnitude of this problem and propose heat control strategy and remedial actions for the Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA). Heat parameters including air temperature (T (a)), wet bulb temperature (T (w)), globe temperature (T (g)) and air velocity were measured around serviced planes and in other locations used by ATCC, and the WBGT and the ATCC-WBGT-TWAs were computed. Mostly all the T (a) measurements, and many T (w) measurements, were higher than T (a) and T (w) forecasted by the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) due to heat dissipated from operating vehicles and equipment in service. The measured and PME forecasted parameters have good and medium linear correlations (T (a): r (2) = 0.74 and T (w): r (2) = 0.64). The computed WBGT in the service stations around planes are considerably higher than the 25 and 27.5 degrees C recommended TLV(R) for non-acclimatized and acclimatized operators. However, the computed ATCC- WBGT-TWA levels indicate that the shift-work-schedule which was recommended to be implemented by SAUDIA has successfully reduced their heat exposure to acceptable levels, except for a very few operators (6.7% exceeding WBGT-TLV(R) of 25 degrees C and 2.2% exceeding TLV(R) of 27.5 degrees C) for whom the shift-work schedules might be corrected to achieve safe heat exposure.

Study of Noise Exposure at the Ground Operations of King Abdul Aziz International Airport

Airport ground service operators are oftenly exposed to unsafe noise levels. The Saudi Arabian Airlines [SAUDIA] has been aware of this problem among their air Traffic Control Coordinators [TCC] and urged this study with the objectives of assessing the magnitude of the problem of occupational noise exposure of TCC in King Abdul-Aziz International Airport [KAAIA] during the travel peak season of the summer vacation of 2003G, and recommending noise control strategy and remedial actions. Noise was measured around large planes and small planes work stations and in other locations used by TCC, and their Time weighted Averages [TWAs] were computed. Noise levels higher than the recommended TLV of 85 dB[A] exist around planes, particularly at airplane's rear right side, due to operation of servicing vehicles and auxiliary air conditioning equipment. However, the computed TCC-TWA noise levels indicate that the shift-work-schedule which was recommended to be implemented by SAUDIA has successfully reduced their noise exposure to acceptable levels. Even though, it has been recommended to encourage SAUDIA operators to wear ear protectors where noise level higher than 85 dB[A] exist, and to subject them to periodical audiometric testing to detect the extra- auditory-sensitive individuals and to protect SAUDIA from false claims.

Practitioners'Forum. Forecasting and Planning the Jeddah Air Traffic with a Mini Model

AbstractA simple model of particular socio‐economic and technical environment proves useful in forecasting and planning. The specific application forecasts air traffic at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, through a number of explanatory variablesThe purpose of the model is to explain and forecast the change in growth rates of passenger flow through the airport. The dynamics of passenger flow are linked to the dynamics of the oil‐based economy of Saudi Arabia and the global economic and business environment.

The IAP Library at King Abdulaziz International Airport

The scope and activities of the library of the International Airports Projects (IAP) office of the Ministry of Defence and Aviation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, are described. The IAP Library has favoured the application of technology‐intensive techniques, including the development of a computerised Library Administration System (LAS), which makes use of UK and LC MARC tapes. Future developments may include interfacing with a computer‐indexed automated microfiche retrieval system. It is suggested that library and information provision in Saudi Arabia may be entering a period of rapid expansion.